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Welcome to Crimethread. These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your access to and use of the Crimethread platform, including our website at crimethread.com and any related applications (together, "the Service"). The Service is operated by [COMPANY ENTITY] ("Crimethread", "we", "our", or "us"). Please read these Terms carefully.

By accessing, browsing, or using the Service, you agree to be bound by these Terms and by our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated by reference. If you do not agree, do not access or use the Service.

You must be at least 18 years old to use the Service. By using the Service, you represent and warrant that you are 18 or older and have the legal capacity to enter into these Terms.

Crimethread is a research workspace for true crime. The Service allows users to organize publicly available information about reported crimes by pinning links to third-party sources (such as news articles, court records, and public documents), adding their own written notes, theories, and timelines, uploading limited supporting media subject to the restrictions in Section 5, and sharing case boards with other users.

The Service is a research and citation tool. It is not a publication, news outlet, investigation service, or law enforcement resource. We do not endorse, verify, or take responsibility for the accuracy of any user-generated content or third-party content accessed through the Service.

To use the Service, you must:

• Be at least 18 years of age
• Reside in a jurisdiction where use of the Service is lawful
• Not be barred from using the Service under any applicable law, court order, or prior termination by Crimethread
• Not be a person against whom sanctions have been imposed by the United States government

4.1 Registration. To access most features, you must create an account. You agree to provide accurate, current, and complete information during registration and to keep that information updated. You may not impersonate any person or entity, or misrepresent your identity or affiliation.

4.2 Account Security. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and for all activity that occurs under your account. You agree to notify us immediately at legal@crimethread.com of any unauthorized access or security breach.

4.3 One Account Per User. You may not maintain more than one active account. We reserve the right to suspend or terminate duplicate accounts.

You agree not to use the Service to:

• Make, share, or publish any defamatory, libelous, or knowingly false statement about any identifiable person
• Identify, name, or accuse any private individual as a suspect, perpetrator, or person of interest in a crime, unless that individual has been formally charged by law enforcement and is named in official court records or law enforcement publications
• Upload photographs, videos, or other media of any person who has not been formally charged by law enforcement and named in official court records, except photographs of yourself
• Upload any photograph, video, or other media that you do not have the legal right to share, including media that violates copyright, privacy rights, or publicity rights of any third party
• Upload tattoo photographs, identifying marks, or other body imagery of any identifiable individual unless drawn from publicly available sources, court records, or official law enforcement releases
• Share or solicit private personal information about any individual, including home addresses, telephone numbers, employer information, family members, photographs of children, financial information, or social media accounts of private persons (collectively, "doxxing")
• Upload sexually explicit content, child sexual abuse material, gratuitous violence, or content depicting the death or grievous injury of any identifiable person
• Harass, threaten, intimidate, stalk, or incite violence against any person
• Contact, attempt to contact, or solicit contact with victims, victims' families, witnesses, suspects, persons of interest, or law enforcement officers connected to any case discussed on the Service
• Visit, photograph, or attempt in-person investigation of any location, residence, or person connected to a case discussed on the Service
• Coordinate, encourage, or participate in any group action targeting an identified individual based on case research
• Post content that interferes with or could interfere with an active law enforcement investigation, prosecution, or judicial proceeding
• Post content concerning ongoing investigations or trials in a manner that could reasonably be expected to influence jurors, witnesses, or the integrity of legal proceedings
• Use the Service for any unlawful purpose, including violating any applicable law, regulation, or court order
• Use automated means (including bots, scrapers, or crawlers) to access, copy, or interact with the Service without our express written permission
• Reverse engineer, decompile, or attempt to derive source code from the Service
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to the Service, other user accounts, or our infrastructure
• Transmit viruses, malware, or other malicious code
• Use the Service to spam, advertise, or solicit other users without our express written permission

Violations of this Section 5 may result in immediate suspension or termination of your account, removal of content, and, where appropriate, referral to law enforcement. We reserve the right to take any of these actions in our sole discretion.

6.1 Pinned Content. When you pin a URL to a case board, you represent that the source is publicly accessible and that you have the right to reference it. We display pinned content as a preview card with metadata (title, source, publication date, and where available, a thumbnail image) that links to the original source. We do not host the underlying content. If a source is removed or modified by its publisher, the pin may break or change accordingly.

6.2 Quoted Excerpts. The Service may allow you to quote short excerpts from pinned sources for the purpose of commentary, criticism, and research. You agree to use this feature only for fair use purposes consistent with United States copyright law, to keep excerpts as brief as necessary, and to always include attribution and a link to the original source. You may not use the excerpt feature to reproduce substantial portions of any source.

6.3 User Notes. You may add your own written notes, observations, and analysis to case boards. You are solely responsible for the content of your notes. Notes must comply with this Section 6 and Section 5. Notes may not assert, suggest, or imply that any identifiable person is guilty of a crime, name private individuals as suspects, or constitute accusations against any specific person. Notes are intended for organizing your understanding of publicly available information, not for advancing accusations.

6.4 Uploaded Media. Evidence cards on the Service do not accept user-uploaded photographs or media. Users may add textual descriptions, source URL citations, and written notes to evidence cards. The Service permits limited uploads of other media types in specific contexts: profile avatars (photographs of yourself), case board cover images, and images uploaded to forensic analysis tools for personal use. All uploaded media is subject to the restrictions in Section 5. The Service does not permit uploaded photographs of any person who has not been formally charged by law enforcement, except photographs of yourself. By uploading any media, you represent and warrant that you have the legal right to upload and share it, that it does not violate the rights of any third party, and that it complies with these Terms.

6.5 References to Identifiable Persons. Crimethread is a research and citation tool, not a tool for making accusations. The following rules apply to all references to identifiable persons:

• Users may not name, identify, or accuse private individuals (persons not formally charged by law enforcement) of any crime, complicity in a crime, or wrongdoing
• Users may reference individuals who have been formally charged by law enforcement and named in official court records, but only when linking to or quoting from those official sources or established news coverage
• Users may reference public figures and historical figures who are widely discussed in published news, court records, or other public sources, but only when linking to or quoting from those sources
• Users may not designate any individual as a "suspect" or "person of interest" who has not been formally so designated by law enforcement and named in an official source
• Users may not post content that asserts, suggests, or implies that any identifiable person is guilty of a crime, except by linking to or quoting an official source making that assertion
• Speculation about who committed a crime is not permitted on the Service. Users may organize and discuss publicly known facts, evidence, and timelines, but may not advance theories naming specific identifiable persons as perpetrators

6.6 Active vs. Cold Cases. Content concerning active investigations and ongoing prosecutions is subject to additional scrutiny. We may, in our sole discretion, restrict, remove, or limit visibility of content concerning cases that are subject to active law enforcement investigation, indictment, or trial, in order to avoid interference with legal proceedings.

We recognize that families of crime victims may experience harm from public discussion of cases involving their loved ones. Verified family members of a victim (immediate family or legal representatives) may request removal or modification of content concerning that victim by emailing legal@crimethread.com.

We will review such requests in good faith and will, in most cases, honor reasonable requests for removal or modification without requiring legal action. Verified family members may request:

• Complete removal of a board concerning their loved one
• Removal of specific photographs, names, or details
• Removal of specific theories or speculative content
• Other reasonable modifications

We reserve the right to require reasonable verification of identity and relationship before honoring such requests. We may decline requests that, in our judgment, conflict with established journalistic or historical record, but we will weigh the family's interests heavily in any such decision.

8.1 Our Intellectual Property. The Service, including its design, features, original content, software, and trademarks, is owned by [COMPANY ENTITY] and protected by copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws of the United States and other jurisdictions. The name "Crimethread," our logo, and all associated branding are the exclusive property of [COMPANY ENTITY]. You may not use any of our trademarks without our prior written consent.

8.2 Your Content. You retain ownership of original content you create on the Service ("User Content"), including notes, theories, excerpts you author, and media you upload. By posting User Content, you grant Crimethread a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, sublicensable, and transferable license to host, store, display, reproduce, modify (for formatting purposes), and distribute your User Content solely as necessary to operate, promote, and improve the Service.

This license continues for as long as your User Content remains on the Service and for a reasonable period thereafter to allow for backups, archival, and legal compliance. The license terminates when you delete your User Content, except to the extent your User Content has been shared with or copied by other users prior to deletion.

8.3 Third-Party Content. The Service displays metadata, excerpts, and links from third-party sources. We do not claim ownership of such content. All trademarks, logos, and copyrighted materials referenced on the Service belong to their respective owners. The display of such content on the Service is intended as fair-use citation for purposes of commentary, criticism, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research.

8.4 Feedback. If you provide us with feedback or suggestions about the Service, you grant us an unrestricted, perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free license to use that feedback for any purpose without compensation to you.

We respect the intellectual property rights of others and comply with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act ("DMCA"). If you believe that content on the Service infringes your copyright, you may submit a takedown notice to our designated DMCA agent.

9.1 DMCA Notice Requirements. Your DMCA notice must include the following information, in writing:

• A physical or electronic signature of the copyright owner or a person authorized to act on their behalf
• Identification of the copyrighted work claimed to have been infringed
• Identification of the material claimed to be infringing, with information sufficient to permit us to locate it (including URLs)
• Your contact information, including address, telephone number, and email address
• A statement that you have a good faith belief that the use of the material is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law
• A statement, under penalty of perjury, that the information in the notice is accurate and that you are authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner

9.2 Designated DMCA Agent. Send DMCA notices to: dmca@crimethread.com

We will respond to valid DMCA notices by removing or disabling access to the allegedly infringing material and notifying the user who posted it. Repeat infringers will have their accounts terminated.

9.3 Counter-Notice. If you believe content you posted was wrongly removed, you may submit a counter-notice to dmca@crimethread.com containing the information required by 17 U.S.C. § 512(g)(3).

10.1 Subscriptions. Certain features of the Service require a paid subscription. Subscription fees, billing cycles, and feature inclusions are described at sign-up and on our pricing page. By subscribing, you agree to pay all applicable fees and authorize us (or our payment processor) to charge your designated payment method.

10.2 Auto-Renewal. Subscriptions automatically renew at the end of each billing period for the same term and at the then-current rate, unless you cancel before the renewal date. You may cancel at any time through your account settings. Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period; you will retain access through that date.

10.3 Refunds. Subscription fees are non-refundable except as required by applicable law. We do not provide refunds or credits for partial billing periods, unused features, or accounts terminated for violation of these Terms.

10.4 Price Changes. We may change subscription prices from time to time. We will notify you of price changes at least 30 days in advance by email or in-app notification. If you do not wish to accept the new price, you may cancel before the change takes effect.

10.5 Payment Processing. Payments are processed by third-party payment processors (such as Stripe). By providing payment information, you agree to the payment processor's terms and authorize us and the processor to charge your designated payment method. We do not store full credit card numbers on our servers.

10.6 Taxes. Subscription fees do not include applicable taxes. You are responsible for paying any sales, use, or value-added taxes that apply to your subscription.

The Service is an interactive computer service as defined in 47 U.S.C. § 230. We are a neutral host of User Content and content cited via third-party links. We do not endorse, adopt, or take responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or legality of any User Content or third-party content accessed through the Service.

We may, but are not obligated to, monitor, review, or remove content. Our exercise of editorial discretion to remove or restrict content does not make us a publisher of any content we do not remove.

You acknowledge that under 47 U.S.C. § 230, no provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider.

THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, CRIMETHREAD AND ITS AFFILIATES, OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AND AGENTS DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, INCLUDING IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, AND ANY WARRANTIES ARISING OUT OF COURSE OF DEALING OR USAGE OF TRADE.

CRIMETHREAD DOES NOT WARRANT THAT THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, ERROR-FREE, SECURE, OR FREE OF VIRUSES OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS. WE DO NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, RELIABILITY, OR SUITABILITY OF ANY USER CONTENT, THIRD-PARTY CONTENT, OR INFORMATION ACCESSIBLE THROUGH THE SERVICE.

YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE SERVICE IS A RESEARCH AND CITATION TOOL, NOT A SOURCE OF VERIFIED FACT, AND THAT YOU USE THE SERVICE AT YOUR OWN RISK.

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, IN NO EVENT SHALL CRIMETHREAD, ITS AFFILIATES, OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, OR AGENTS BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, INCLUDING DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, GOODWILL, USE, DATA, OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSSES, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO YOUR USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THE SERVICE.

OUR TOTAL CUMULATIVE LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ALL CLAIMS ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THE SERVICE OR THESE TERMS SHALL NOT EXCEED THE GREATER OF (A) THE AMOUNT YOU PAID US IN THE TWELVE (12) MONTHS PRECEDING THE EVENT GIVING RISE TO THE CLAIM, OR (B) ONE HUNDRED U.S. DOLLARS ($100.00).

Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or limitation of certain damages. To the extent such exclusions or limitations are not enforceable, our liability is limited to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law.

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless [COMPANY ENTITY], its affiliates, and their respective officers, directors, employees, agents, and licensors from and against any and all claims, damages, obligations, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from or relating to:

• Your access to or use of the Service
• Your User Content, including any claim that your User Content defamed, harassed, or otherwise harmed any third party
• Your violation of these Terms
• Your violation of any third-party right, including intellectual property, privacy, or publicity rights
• Your violation of any applicable law or regulation

15.1 Termination by You. You may terminate your account at any time by following the deletion process in your account settings or emailing legal@crimethread.com. Termination does not entitle you to a refund of subscription fees already paid.

15.2 Termination by Us. We may suspend or terminate your account and access to the Service at any time, with or without notice, for any reason, including but not limited to:

• Violation of these Terms
• Conduct that we determine, in our sole discretion, exposes the Service or other users to legal, reputational, or operational risk
• Inactivity for a prolonged period
• Discontinuation of the Service or any portion of it

15.3 Effect of Termination. Upon termination, your right to access the Service ends immediately. Sections that by their nature should survive termination (including Sections 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 19, and 20) will survive.

We reserve the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue the Service (or any feature or part of it) at any time, with or without notice. We are not liable for any modification, suspension, or discontinuation of the Service.

Our collection and use of your personal information is governed by our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference. By using the Service, you consent to the practices described in our Privacy Policy.

The Service contains links to third-party websites and services. We are not responsible for the content, accuracy, privacy practices, or availability of any third-party website or service. Your access to and use of third-party websites and services is at your own risk and is subject to those third parties' terms and policies.

PLEASE READ THIS SECTION CAREFULLY. IT REQUIRES YOU AND CRIMETHREAD TO ARBITRATE DISPUTES INDIVIDUALLY AND LIMITS THE WAY YOU CAN SEEK RELIEF.

19.1 Agreement to Arbitrate. You and [COMPANY ENTITY] agree that any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms or your use of the Service (a "Dispute") shall be resolved by binding individual arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association ("AAA") under its Consumer Arbitration Rules, rather than in court, except as set forth below.

19.2 Exceptions. Either party may bring an individual action in small claims court for disputes within the scope of that court's jurisdiction. Either party may also seek injunctive or other equitable relief in court for any actual or threatened infringement, misappropriation, or violation of intellectual property rights, confidentiality obligations, or unauthorized access to the Service.

19.3 Class Action Waiver.

YOU AND CRIMETHREAD AGREE THAT EACH MAY BRING CLAIMS AGAINST THE OTHER ONLY IN YOUR OR ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY, AND NOT AS A PLAINTIFF OR CLASS MEMBER IN ANY PURPORTED CLASS, COLLECTIVE, OR REPRESENTATIVE PROCEEDING. THE ARBITRATOR MAY NOT CONSOLIDATE MORE THAN ONE PERSON'S CLAIMS AND MAY NOT PRESIDE OVER ANY FORM OF REPRESENTATIVE OR CLASS PROCEEDING.

19.4 Arbitration Procedures. The arbitration shall be conducted by a single arbitrator. The arbitration shall take place in [COUNTY] County, California, or, at your election, by telephone or videoconference, or based solely on written submissions. The arbitrator's decision shall be final and binding, and judgment on the award may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction.

19.5 Opt-Out. You may opt out of this arbitration agreement by sending written notice to legal@crimethread.com within 30 days of first accepting these Terms. Your notice must include your name, account email, and a clear statement that you are opting out of arbitration. Opting out will not affect any other provisions of these Terms.

19.6 Survival. This Section 19 survives termination of these Terms and your account.

These Terms and any Dispute (other than those subject to arbitration under Section 19) shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California, without regard to its conflict of laws principles. For Disputes not subject to arbitration, the parties consent to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in [COUNTY] County, California.

We may update these Terms from time to time. If we make material changes, we will notify you by email (to the address associated with your account) or by prominent in-app or on-site notice at least 30 days before the changes take effect. Non-material changes (such as clarifications, typo corrections, or updates to contact information) take effect immediately upon posting.

Your continued use of the Service after the effective date of revised Terms constitutes acceptance of those revised Terms. If you do not agree, you must stop using the Service before the effective date.

22.1 Entire Agreement. These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and any other agreements expressly incorporated by reference, constitute the entire agreement between you and [COMPANY ENTITY] regarding the Service and supersede all prior agreements, understandings, and communications.

22.2 Severability. If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable, that provision shall be enforced to the maximum extent permissible, and the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.

22.3 Waiver. Our failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms is not a waiver of that right or provision. No waiver is effective unless made in writing and signed by an authorized representative of [COMPANY ENTITY].

22.4 Assignment. You may not assign or transfer these Terms or your account without our prior written consent. We may assign these Terms in connection with a merger, acquisition, sale of assets, or by operation of law, without notice to you.

22.5 No Agency. Nothing in these Terms creates any agency, partnership, employment, or joint venture relationship between you and [COMPANY ENTITY].

22.6 Headings. Section headings are for convenience only and do not affect the interpretation of these Terms.

22.7 Force Majeure. We are not liable for any delay or failure to perform caused by events beyond our reasonable control, including acts of God, war, terrorism, pandemic, government action, or infrastructure failure.

Questions about these Terms? Contact us:

• General and legal inquiries: legal@crimethread.com
• Copyright (DMCA) notices: dmca@crimethread.com
• Privacy inquiries: privacy@crimethread.com
• Mailing address: [TO BE INSERTED ONCE ENTITY IS FORMED]

This Privacy Policy describes how [COMPANY ENTITY] ("Crimethread", "we", "our", or "us") collects, uses, and protects your information when you use Crimethread (the "Service"), accessible at crimethread.com. By using the Service, you agree to the practices described in this Policy and in our Terms of Service.

1.1 Information You Provide. When you create an account or use the Service, we collect:

• Email address and password (passwords are hashed by our authentication provider and never stored in plain text)
• Display name and username
• Optional profile information (bio, avatar image, social media handles)
• Case boards, pinned content, written notes, theories, timelines, and other content you create on the Service
• Photographs and other media you upload (subject to the restrictions in our Terms of Service)
• Messages and friend requests you send to other users
• Communications you send to us (support requests, legal notices, feedback)

1.2 Payment Information. If you subscribe to a paid plan, our payment processor (Stripe) collects your payment card information. We do not store full credit card numbers on our servers. Stripe provides us with limited information such as your subscription status, billing email, and the last four digits of your card.

1.3 Automatically Collected Information. When you use the Service, we automatically collect:

• Browser type, operating system, and device type
• Pages and features you visit on the Service
• Approximate location (derived from your IP address, at the city or region level)
• Referring website (where you came from before reaching the Service)
• Date and time of your visit and basic usage patterns

This information is collected via Google Analytics. See Section 5 for details.

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide and operate the Service, including authentication, content storage, and the social features you use
• Process subscription payments and manage your account status
• Send essential transactional communications (account verification, password resets, billing notices, important Service updates, and responses to your inquiries)
• Improve the Service by understanding how users interact with it
• Detect, prevent, and respond to abuse, fraud, security incidents, and violations of our Terms of Service
• Comply with legal obligations, court orders, and lawful requests from authorities
• Enforce our Terms of Service and protect our rights, property, and safety, and the rights, property, and safety of our users and the public

We respect your privacy. We do not:

• Sell your personal information to anyone
• Share your personal information with advertisers or data brokers
• Use your content or activity for targeted advertising
• Track your activity on other websites or across the internet
• Read, monitor, or share your private case boards or direct messages with third parties, except as required by law or as necessary to investigate violations of our Terms of Service

Some content on the Service is shared with other users by design:

• Public boards are visible to all Service users
• Private boards are visible only to you and to users you specifically invite as collaborators
• Profile information (display name, username, avatar, public bio) is visible to other Service users
• Friend requests and direct messages are visible only to you and the recipient

You control which boards are public or private through your board settings. You can change this at any time.

To operate the Service, we rely on a small number of third-party service providers. These providers process some of your information on our behalf and are bound by their own privacy policies and contractual obligations to protect your data. We share data with them only as necessary to provide the Service.

5.1 Supabase. Our backend infrastructure provider. Supabase stores your account information, content, and uploaded media on secure servers. Authentication is also handled by Supabase. Supabase's privacy policy is available at supabase.com/privacy.

5.2 Stripe. Our payment processor. Stripe collects and processes your payment information when you subscribe to a paid plan. We do not store your full credit card number. Stripe's privacy policy is available at stripe.com/privacy.

5.3 Vercel. Our hosting provider. Vercel serves the Service and may collect basic technical information (such as IP addresses and request logs) for hosting, security, and performance purposes. Vercel's privacy policy is available at vercel.com/legal/privacy-policy.

5.4 Google Analytics. We use Google Analytics 4 to understand basic patterns of how users interact with the Service (such as which pages are visited and how long users stay). Google Analytics may collect your IP address, browser information, and usage data. We use Google Analytics in a privacy-respectful configuration with IP anonymization. We do not use Google Analytics for advertising purposes. You can opt out of Google Analytics by installing the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-on. Google's privacy policy is available at policies.google.com/privacy.

We do not use Facebook Pixel, TikTok Pixel, or any other advertising tracking pixel.

We use a minimal set of cookies and browser storage:

• Authentication cookies to keep you signed in and recognize your session
• Local storage to remember your board layouts, case file collections, and Service preferences
• Google Analytics cookies to measure usage patterns (described in Section 5.4)

You can clear cookies and local storage at any time through your browser settings. Doing so will sign you out and reset your local preferences.

Your data is stored on secure servers operated by Supabase (hosted on AWS infrastructure in the United States). We use industry-standard practices to protect your information, including:

• Encryption of data in transit (HTTPS/TLS)
• Encryption of data at rest where supported by our providers
• Hashed passwords (never stored in plain text)
• Access controls and authentication for our administrative systems

No method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security, but we work to protect your information using reasonable safeguards.

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active. When you delete your account:

• Your account, profile, private boards, and direct messages are deleted from our active systems within 30 days
• Backup copies may persist for up to 90 days, after which they are permanently deleted
• Public boards you created may continue to be visible to other users unless you delete them before closing your account
• We may retain certain limited information for longer if required to comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, enforce our Terms of Service, or detect fraud

Anonymized analytics data (which cannot be linked back to you) may be retained indefinitely.

You have the right to:

• Access your personal information by viewing your profile and content within the Service
• Correct inaccurate information by editing your profile and content
• Delete your account and associated personal information at any time
• Export your case board data (contact us if you need help with this)
• Opt out of non-essential email communications by following the unsubscribe link in those emails
• Object to certain uses of your information by contacting us

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at privacy@crimethread.com.

If you are a California resident, the California Consumer Privacy Act ("CCPA") and California Privacy Rights Act ("CPRA") give you additional rights:

• Right to know what personal information we collect, use, disclose, and (if applicable) sell about you
• Right to delete personal information we have collected from you
• Right to correct inaccurate personal information
• Right to opt out of sale or sharing of your personal information. We do not sell or share your personal information.
• Right to limit use of sensitive personal information. We do not use sensitive personal information for purposes beyond what is reasonably necessary to provide the Service.
• Right to non-discrimination for exercising your privacy rights

To exercise these rights, email us at privacy@crimethread.com. We will verify your identity (typically by confirming you control the email address on your account) before fulfilling your request. You may also designate an authorized agent to make a request on your behalf.

If you are located in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, or Switzerland, the General Data Protection Regulation ("GDPR") and similar laws give you the following rights:

• Right of access to your personal data
• Right to rectification of inaccurate or incomplete data
• Right to erasure ("right to be forgotten")
• Right to restrict processing in certain circumstances
• Right to data portability
• Right to object to processing in certain circumstances
• Right to withdraw consent where processing is based on your consent
• Right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority

Our legal basis for processing your personal data is one or more of the following: (a) performance of our contract with you (the Terms of Service); (b) our legitimate interests in operating, improving, and securing the Service; (c) compliance with legal obligations; or (d) your consent, where required.

To exercise these rights, contact privacy@crimethread.com.

The Service is operated from the United States, and your information is stored on servers in the United States. If you access the Service from outside the United States, your information will be transferred to, stored in, and processed in the United States. By using the Service, you consent to this transfer.

The Service is not intended for or directed to anyone under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. If we learn that we have collected information from a person under 18, we will delete that information promptly. If you believe a person under 18 has provided us with personal information, contact privacy@crimethread.com.

The Service contains links to third-party websites (including news articles, court records, and other public sources you pin to your boards). When you click these links, you leave the Service and visit those third-party sites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites. We encourage you to read their privacy policies.

Some browsers offer a "Do Not Track" signal. Because there is no industry standard for how to respond to these signals, we do not currently respond to them. We do not track you across other websites regardless of any signal.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. If we make material changes, we will notify you by email (to the address associated with your account) or by prominent in-app or on-site notice at least 30 days before the changes take effect. Non-material changes (such as clarifications or updates to contact information) take effect immediately upon posting. Your continued use of the Service after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the revised Policy.

For privacy questions or requests, contact us:

• Privacy inquiries: privacy@crimethread.com
• General and legal inquiries: legal@crimethread.com
• Mailing address: [TO BE INSERTED ONCE ENTITY IS FORMED]

If you are a victim of a crime, or the family member of someone who has been the victim of a crime, we want you to know that we see you. The pain of losing a loved one or surviving a crime is unimaginable, and the persistence of that pain in public discussion is something we take seriously.

Crimethread exists as a research and citation tool — not an entertainment platform, not a gossip site, and not a place for accusations. We've built the platform with rules that prevent users from naming uncharged individuals or making accusations against private people. But we know that even respectful research can be painful, and we want to make it as easy as possible for you to be heard.

If you are a victim or family member and need support — emotional, legal, or practical — these organizations exist to help. None of them are affiliated with Crimethread.

• We will respond to verified family takedown requests within 7 business days.
• We do not require legal action or threats to honor reasonable removal requests.
• We do not host content that names or accuses individuals who have not been formally charged by law enforcement.
• We do not host user-uploaded photographs of victims or persons not formally charged with crimes.
• We prohibit doxxing, harassment, contacting victims or families, and in-person investigation.
• We will treat your concerns with respect, not as legal threats to be pushed back against.

If you are not a family member but you believe content on Crimethread is harming someone, you can also contact us at legal@crimethread.com. We review all good-faith concerns.

Thank you for trusting us to listen.